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Employee-friendly Content Cybersecurity - Prevention

Marissa Explains IT All: What are the symptoms of a virus?

We can all agree that computer viruses are bad, and we should take the proper precautionary steps to try and avoid them. However, we can’t always be so lucky.

If you were to fall victim to a virus, would you know what to look out for on your device? It’s important to quickly become aware in these situations so that you can limit the potential damage that the virus can cause.

To learn more about the red flags that you should be on the lookout for, check out Marissa’s 60-second explanation below. The full transcript can be found below the video. For more cybersecurity tips on protecting your devices and data, continue scrolling.

Episode 12:

Transcript:

“Usually there will be some sort of performance issues, like your computer is doing something really slow all of a sudden, like to boot, or it’s continuously crashing. Unusual activity is also a red flag, such as changes to your home page or newly installed applications that you don’t remember downloading. Which is why it’s important to maintain a clean desktop or an organized computer so you can easily spot changes like that.

Random pop-ups, especially if they’re asking you to download antivirus software or to go somewhere, like “click here!” or “go here!” – that’s a sign. If others start receiving emails from you that you don’t remember sending, or mass emails go from your account, that’s a big red flag. If files are missing or they just can’t be accessed – that could be a clue.

If your passwords don’t work – also a big red flag. Last one is if websites stop working. Not just one or two, but multiple sites that aren’t related and anyone else on the internet connection is not having the same issue.”


More cybersecurity tips:

Tips for Avoiding the TrapCybersecurity on a Small Budget